I need to be anywhere where Caleb and his father aren't. I can’t watch Ryker bully him for a second longer. No matter how much I try to convince myself I don’t care about him, I can’t sit here and pretend it doesn’t affect me.
“Sure. There’s a little hammock around the corner. I doubt anyone will be there.”
“Great,” I say as I stand and follow his lead.
We loop around the side of the manor away from people and noise. It’s peaceful, everything my racing mind needs. I climb into the hammock, and Charlie slips inside after me. It almost tips over, and we both laugh as we steady ourselves.
Charlie’s eyes rest over mine as he smiles. “So, do you have a partner or anything?”
“It’s complicated,” I confess.
“How so?”
I clear my throat. “There is this guy, but I’m not sure where his loyalties lie, or mine.”
“Would he be mad if he saw us together?”
“Doubt it,” I snort.
“Well, that’s good. What does he look like?”
I suck in a breath. “Tall. Dark hair. Tattoos.”
“Oh.” He blinks. “Damn.”
“Do you have a partner?”
He shakes his head. “Never had a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Wouldn’t mind either.”
“The right person will come,” I say optimistically.
Although the right person came into my life, only for me to find out that he’s very wrong.
Charlie’s hand gently brushes my leg, and I find myself focusing on it. It’s a strange sensation, one my wolf doesn’t like whatsoever. It’s a sweet gesture, but it makes me feel guilty. Why? I shouldn’t feel this way.
He continues to smile at me before his eyes flick to something behind me, and then his smile is immediately wiped off his face within seconds. He rips his hand from my thigh, and I frown.
“Oh, hell fucking no,” he murmurs.
“What?” I rasp as my heart begins to pound in my throat.
“Please don’t tell me that’s your boyfriend.”
My head whips round so quickly we almost fall out of the hammock. I gulp when I spot Caleb storming towards us, eyes filled with what I can only assume is anger. His fists are tightened, and his gaze is set on the guy beside me.
I jump out of the hammock, and Charlie follows suit. Caleb passes me and yanks Charlie by the collar of his shirt. He yelps in fear, and I suck in a breath.
My eyes flick frantically between them. “Caleb?—”
“You have about five seconds to move away from him before I beat your face into the ground,” Caleb growls so dangerously low it makes my spine shudder. “And I swear to the Goddess, if you tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”
Charlie nods frantically. “I won’t. I promise I won’t. I’m going.”
It takes a few seconds for Caleb to release Charlie, and then he’s scrambling away, nearly stumbling over his own feet.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I shout.
Caleb turns to me with dark eyes, and I back up a little from the intimidation of his height. “What’s wrong with me?” he laughs sourly. “What is wrong with you?”
